UPSC CAPF – How to apply selection process, notification, exam pattern, exam mode

UPSC CAPF, or Central Armed Police Force, is the nationalized exam conducted once a year by UPSC to recruit potential officers for the Central Armed Force. CAPF is the body of seven security forces of India working under the direct command of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoH).

It is a uniformed service that consists, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards (NSG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Police Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and Border Security Force (BSF). 

Assam Rifles and National Security Guards’ recruitment process is different, and UPSC recruits for the other five services only. Assistant Command is the highest post by which you can join these services directly. These officers are the gazetted officers recruited only through the UPSC. For other junior positions like Subordinate Officers and Constables, the SSC (Staff Selection Commission) serves as the recruitment body. 

This article will talk about the Assistant Commandant (AC) exam, usually held in April, but you can check the UPSC’s official website for the latest updates. With this article, we will discuss everything about this examination. 

Wings, you will work as an Assistant Commandant after clearing the CAPF exam

• Central Industrial Police Force (CISF)
• Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
• Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
• Border Security Force (BSF)
• Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)

After competing with almost 4 lakh (Approx) individuals, you will lead the company of 150 Armed personnel to ensure the smooth functioning of all the government activities. 

Eligibility for UPSC CAPF

Nationality 

Unmarried candidates of the following categories can apply:

• A Citizen of India,
• A subject of Bhutan or Nepal
• Tibetan refugee who has arrived in India before January 1962 intending to settle in India permanently,
• An Indian immigrant from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, and East African Countries of Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia, Zaire, or Vietnam intending to settle in India permanently. 

Note: 

• Candidates under 2 and 4 categories must be certified with the nationality proof issued by the Indian Government in favor of their statement.
• Candidates who are Gorkha subjects of Nepal are not required to show any certificate for their recruitment. 
• Candidates from the 4th category or belonging to any other nation need to give their consent in written format to the Central Government showing their willingness to join the services. 

Age Limit

• Candidates, whether men or women between the ages of 20 to 25 are eligible for application. 
• SC/ST/OBC candidates get the age relaxation of 3 years in the upper age limit (For non-creamy layer OBC candidates).
• Ex-servicemen or Ex-civilian Central Government employees or candidates who have a domicile of Jammu and Kashmir and lived there between 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1989 will get the age relaxation of 5 years.
• Candidates from SC/ST/OBC category and also fulfill the requirements for the 3rd point will get the maximum age relaxation. 

Educational Qualification

• A Bachelor’s degree in any stream from the UGC recognized university or deemed-to-be university.
• Applicants waiting for their final year result are also eligible but will be appointed on a provisional basis and need to show proof of their degree completion by the given time. 
• Candidates with a technical/professional course or certification recognized by the Government of India that holds the reputation of technical or graduation degree are also eligible. 
• Applicants who possess NCC ‘B’ or ‘C’ certificates will be given preference at the time of the interview (not in the written or physical test).

Physical and Medical Requirements 

Apart from the educational and nationality requirements, UPSC requires some physical and medical standard which needs to be fulfilled while applying and these are:

Physical Standards

Medical Requirements 

• Candidates should not have any severe medical disease or defects in hearing, speech, and smell sense. 
• Tattoos depicting any religious symbol, name, or image are also allowed, just like the Indian Army.

Eligibility Restrictions 

UPSC imposes some restrictions on recruitment which are given below:

• Candidates who have already been selected through CAPF are not allowed to sit in the examination for the same post.
• Candidates working with the Indian Government, whether temporary or permanent, must submit an undertaking before applying. (the undertaking must state that they informed their department head in writing that they are applying for the UPSC CAPF exam.  
• In case of failure or the employer withholding the permission, the decision made by UPSC will be the final. 

CAPF Vacancies

UPSC has released a notification to recruit 159 officers through CAPF. Wing based allocation is given below:

CAPF Selection Process

The CAPF selection process begins with the written examination followed by a medical test and Physical Efficiency Test (PET). The whole selection process is divided into three main stages. The writing is divided into two separate exams conducted on the same day where; the first exam is an offline MCQ based and the second one is of descriptive type.  

Written Exam

Physical (PET) and Medical Test

UPSC has made a requirements list for medical and physical tests, which every candidate has to fulfill. Both these tests are qualifying in nature but mandatory to participate. These tests are conducted after successfully passing the written examination. 

Detailed requirements for Physical test:

Note:

• Pregnancy is not allowed at the time of medical and physical tests means the candidature of female candidates, if found pregnant at the time of examination, will be rejected. 
• Negative marking is applicable for paper – I only where 1/3rd marks will be deducted for every wrong answer. 
• Candidates who are not satisfied with the outcome of their medical or physical evaluation can appeal to the Appellate Authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs within 15 days after the results have been announced. 

Interview/ Personality Test

UPSC never calls the 3rd stage an interview; rather, they prefer to call it a Personality Test. After all, at this time, they only want to evaluate as a person and not as an intellectual because they check that through the above two stages. The interview itself weighs 150 marks and is necessary to qualify to get into services. There is no minimum cutoff at this stage. 

Note:

• Candidates who are declared medically unfit by the doctor but are allowed to appear in the interview before the “Review Medical Officer” by their appeal at the Appellate Authority will also get the call letter for the final stage.
• It is mandatory to download the e-summon letter released on the official website for all shortlisted candidates. 
• The interview panel consists of 4 individuals. The 1st is the chairperson (serving member of CAPF), and the other 3 are senior professors and specialists of their domain. 
• It is advisable to fill the Detailed Application Form (DAF) carefully because 80% interview duration revolves around it. 

Find: Best Coaching Institutes for UPSC CAPF

CAPF Exam day guidelines

There are a few do’s and don’t when you must keep in mind when going for the examination, which is given below:

Do’s

• All the participating candidates must carry at least two government-issued IDs like AADHAR Card, Voter ID Card, Driving License, Pan Card, or Passport. 
• It is required to remember that the information you filled in the application should match with the IDs; else your candidature might get rejected. 
• Black or Blue ballpoint pens are allowed for both the objective and descriptive examination. 
• Candidates need to follow all the corona guidelines set by the Health Ministry.
• They should bring their own masks and sanitizer to ensure unnecessary gathering. 

Don’ts 

• Do not carry any prohibited or expensive item in the examination hall (Any electronic, digital, or Bluetooth device, calculator, translator, recorder, headphone, earphone, radio, walkman, geometry-box, pencil box, clipboard, wristwatch, bracelet, chips, chocolate, drinks, etc.)
• Do not fold or write on your answer sheet. 
• Do not use the back of your answer for rough work.
• Do not use pencil, ink, or any other prohibited item on your answer sheet. 

Also Read: How to Crack the CAPF Exam?

FAQ’s

Question – When will the UPSC CAPF 2022 notification be released?

Answer   –  The tentative date for UPSC CAPF 2022 is April 20, and the exam will be held on August 7. 

Question – How many attempts do I get for the UPSC CAPF exam?

Answer   –  UPSC doesn’t restrict candidates on the basis of attempts; instead, they set the maximum age limit of 25 years. So on an average basis, you easily get 3 to 5 attempts before reaching the age limit. 

Question – What academic qualification is required for UPSC CAPF?

Answer   –  Candidates must graduate with a full-time degree in any stream from a government-recognized university. 

Question – What is the salary of an officer selected through UPSC CAPF?

Answer   –  After clearing the UPSC CAPF, candidates are entitled to a salary pay band of level 10, i.e., 56,100 to 1,77,500, along with additional allowances.

Question – How is the merit list for UPSC CAPF Interview prepared?

Answer   –  The merit list is drawn up in accordance with the total marks obtained in both written exams and Personality Tests. 

Question – Can I apply for UPSC CAPF after Class 12?

Answer   –  No, you cannot apply for UPSC CAPF immediately after the 12th class. You should be a graduate in any of the full-time degree courses recognized by the government of India. 

Question – What is the minimum acceptable height in the UPSC CAPF exam?

Answer   –  Minimum acceptable height for UPSC CAPF is 165 cm for men and 157 for women. (Gorkhas and Garwhals get a relaxation of 5 cm).